Less Than Cake

Our series on "Things You Probably Didn't Know About...." continues today with fun facts about my mom, Dennay.

5. Baseball crazy.

Other than my dad, I would say baseball is the love of my mom's life. And not just baseball in general broad terms. Atlanta Braves baseball. Now, one would assume that she would like the Seattle Mariners given that she lives in Washington, not Atlanta, however, this assumption would be totally and completely false. The Braves are the boys of summer for my mom....( perhaps she had a crush on Dale Murphy in the eighties and just can't let go).

4. Every holiday brings a new "tradition."

When I was in college and would go home for the holidays, my mom had a new "tradition" she had created in the last year. The unveiling of these traditions usually went like this:
Mom: "We have to have caramel popcorn at Thanksgiving!"

Kids and Dad: Since when? We've never had it before....

Mom: Yes we have! It's TRADITION.

At this point, the rest of the family would nod in agreement that perhaps once long ago when there were 9 small children running around that yes, it had been a tradition and the mother must be right....

3. She likes to cook like she is feeding the Union Army.

Granted, my mother comes by this honestly since she had 9 children. However, 7 of those children were girls and I don't think we ate nearly as heartily as soldiers, but she didn't want us to starve so there were always many leftovers from every meal. Nowadays, she has many grandchildren and her kids eat a lot more so she still cooks the same....it's amazing how much food she can make in a small amount of time.

2. Chocolate cake is acceptable as Monday Morning Breakfast.

As a general rule, my mother doesn't drink milk. However, she will drink milk to wash down a very generous portion of chocolate cake with white frosting. All through my highschool years, she would make chocolate cake with white frosting (always white, never chocolate) on Sunday night, have a slice and then down a glass of milk. The next morning, Monday the most evil day of the week, she would tell us to have some cake and milk for breakfast to start the week off right. For some reason, my dad could never figure out why we always had cavities....

1. If there is dirt and a nursery nearby, you will find my mom within 50 yards, on her way to make a masterpiece.

My mom can take any flower bed, no matter what her children, neighbors, grandkids, dogs, cats and other various two to four legged creatures have done to it and turn it into a thing of beauty. One year she won a contest for most beautiful front yard, surprisingly, she didn't know she had even entered. (On a side note, my little sister took the prize sign that was put in our front yard and used it to rally to save the whales. A good cause to be sure, however, a little misguided since my parents live in the middle of a desert and I think the only whales Lizzie had seen were on tv or in books).